Our friend was in a Camry and made it just fine, but slowly. Season: April - November. Answer 1 of 14: We will be visiting Moab mid June. This is one of the best slot canyons in Utah that is part of the Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon and Spooky Gulch trek. Here are the places that seven of Utahs most well known women writers knew and loved most. Moab is home to the best slot canyons in Utah, making it the perfect place for slot canyon hikes ranging from easy to difficult. Just be aware that this hike is a bit more technical by nature. From here youll see the Dry Fork Narrows to the left (save that for last) and a slot canyon that starts about 10-feet up a rock wall. Recommended by Jordan Wohlwend from The Homebody Tourist. Meg aka Fox is a 30-something who's born to explore. Find a guide to take you canyoneering in Utah. Discover Which Colorado Mountain Town is right for you. Happy travels! The magnificent walls of Kanarra Creek Slot Canyon. A Grand Adventure: Part 4. This excellent out-and-back trail leads up a canyon lined with towering sandstone cliffs. You can hike the narrowest (and most fun) section of Little Wild Horse as a fast out-and-back hike, or do this as a loop, adding on a second slot canyon named Bell Canyon. You dont need any special gear or technical skills to do this slot, but you do need to be in good shape and not at all claustrophobic. This is another neat slot canyon hike located about 2 hours from Moab, but its not for beginners. Location: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument on Hole-in-the-Rock Road Distance: 3.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate Read more: A Photojourney through Peek-A-Boo Gulch and Spooky Gulch. Sequoia - Kings Canyon; Joshua Tree National Park; Yes, but it may be too long for younger kids. Almost anyone will enjoy this family-friendly Utah slot canyon. As a result, the streams carve out deep slot canyons as they fill and empty throughout the year. Previous Group Spooky Gulch is another highly memorable slot canyon in Escalante, Utah. No special equipment is needed, although a pair of neoprene or wool socks always come in handy to stay warm. The bad news is that the Narrows is getting extremely popular. Peek-A-Boo Gulch has several sections of challenging rock scrambling, including a 12 foot climb just to enter the canyon. But if you only have time for one, how to you decide which one to visit? Explore one of 61 easy hiking trails in Moab or discover kid-friendly routes for your next family trip. With its light beams, falling sands, and high canyon walls, this is the more photogenic of the two canyons. The short hike is free. Know how to stay safe and informed during your Utah trip and who is helping when you get into trouble. Hiking within the narrow canyon, hopping and skipping over the creek, and watching as the canyon walls steadily grow higher and higher as you head downstream is such a great experience. The best way to visit this slot canyon is by entering from Wire Pass, that way you get to see two slot canyons for the price of one! Its spectacularly colorful and photogenic. There are so many great places to visittrying to find the time is the trick. A slot canyon is a narrow canyon passageway formed in rock (usually sandstone) that has been eroded by water over time, eventually creating a keyhole-like crack in the rock that is just wide enough for a person to fit through. For more detailed information on how to find the exact trailheads for these Utah slot canyons, you can check out my individual travel guides for each hike. Local Tip: There are a lot of other amazing things to do in the San Rafael Swell, so its worth it to spend a couple of days exploring this under-rated area. Local Tip: The creek can dry out in the summer. Some of the pages on my travel blog contain affiliate links. The most important thing to know about hiking a slot canyon is the weather. Water. Otherwise youll need to head towards Escalante (4 hours and 45 minutes away) or Kanab (also 4 hours and 45 minutes away) for slot canyons near Salt Lake City. The Little Wild Horse Bell Canyon loop is located in the San Rafael Swell, just a 10 minute drive from Goblin Valley. To reach the Joint, youll wander through the needle filled canyons and get a real sense of the vast, unique beauty that the Needles District has to offer. Buckskin Gulch is the longest slot canyon in the United States, and its believed to be the longest slot canyon in the world 21 miles one way! Scratching your name on the walls and destroying ancient rock art with your own markings are actually federal felonies, so dont do it. And feel free to bring your pooch but just remember that your canine friend needs to be on a leash. That is another nice trail, but has no shade nor water. Petroglyphs and rock art. As we set up camp near Arches National Park, the sun lit up the bluffs and the light melted into the western horizon. But find them exponentially special when the changing fall leaves are in juxtaposition to the immaculate red rock cliffs. Our whole trip is . The nearby Ding and Dang Canyons are a bit more difficult, and best suited for experienced hikers. Surprise Canyon, located about one mile away, is also a short, fun canyon to explore. Hiking. And then when youre done, just go back the way you came. On most Southern Utah bucket lists, you'll find the local favorite one-two punch of Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons. The colors were amazing. Arguably the most beautiful slot canyon on this list, this is also the most popular. Mileage: 1.9 milesElevation Gain: 492 feetDifficulty: EasyEstimated Time: 1 hour. The narrowest part is just over a foot wide, meaning youll have to walk sideways to get through the canyon! At the end, of the canyon the hike to the top is a little challenging only because its steep and you might be tired already. Copyright 2023 Utah Office of Tourism. For the full list, read our Best Hikes in Zion guide. 15. NoPet Friendly? I was deep in a slot canyon with walls like sheaves of shelf mushrooms, stretching my arms up toward geologic history. Families with dinosaur enthusiasts (of all ages) will enjoy this interesting short hike to a large boulder with dinosaur tracks above the Colorado River. Truth is, just setting foot on the centers 26-acre ranch can feel transformative. In spite of the difficulty and awkwardness, we still had tremendous fun doing this hike, and its undoubtedly one of the best slot canyons in Utah! If youre looking for colorful sandstone walls that will blow your mind, then youve got to check out the Zebra Slot Canyon in Escalante. The creek trail leads to an incredible three-story waterfall. Mary Jane Slot Canyon is one of Moab's hidden gems - the "trail" is a creek the entire way, which leads to a 30 ft waterfall. 4-13 people - $112/person. You dont need a permit for the bottom-up hike. As soon as you turn onto the dirt road you should see a sign Ranch Road Dead End but keep driving and follow the directions. Heres a Utah slot canyons map you can use to plan your own road trip. Slot canyons are natural rock passageways with all different colors of red, yellow, pink, and purple, and some of them are so tight and awkward you have to walk sideways or crawl, like a playground for grownups. Best time to go: Spring and fall are ideal, but you can hike here year-round. Willis Creek was a blast to hike. It leads to a pass along a mesa. If youre hiking in a slot canyon, youll want to carry WAG bags or special toilet in a bag kits that are designed to pack out human waste. Because of the remote location, there is a chance you could have these two slot canyons all to yourself (we did and it was a blast!). Hike Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and More with Wildland Trekking - Expert Local Guides, #1 on Trip Advisor. Fun rock formations. Learn more about this unforgettable attraction and plan a visit. 800-715-HIKE (4453) (9-4:30 Every Day) Top Rated On ; Contact Us; Other Languages: . You can also get here by driving Burr Trail Road east from highway 12. Why a Hawaii-based highliner and influencer hasn't returned to Utah yet. Follow this itinerary for a week-long winter road trip across the snow-covered desert of Southeastern Utah. The closest slot canyons to Salt Lake City are about 3.5 hours away in the San Rafael Swell (Little Wild Horse Canyon and Ding and Dang Canyon). Antelope Canyon is located in Arizona, right near the border with Utah. Visitors can explore the intricate and narrow gorges cut through beautifully layered sedimentary deposits over immense time in the Colorado Plateau, which provides the artistic foundation for the natural . Travel quite a ways down a series of rocky ledges until you reach a basin. The canyon isnt really a slot canyon. Lastly, climbing up is always easier than climbing down. Flash Floods. Its challenging, its breathtaking in its beauty, and it makes for a very memorable experience. Willis Creek Slot Canyon is one of the lesser known Utah canyons. Antelope Canyon is a favorite with photographers, and for good reason. Discover where adventure and learning converge across iconic rivers and ancient canyons. Looking to venture beyond The Narrows and Angels Landing? Should you visit Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon? Hiking slot canyons in the summer can be extremely dangerous. Utah offers all kinds of adventurous day trips for visitors start planning your getaway today. Around the 2.0 miles mark the canyon curves to the southeast. Dont worry youll be rewarded with and adventure-filled day in a stunning setting. Best for: Families can totally do this slot. Too bad you cant (legally) take the Apache Tears home with you anymore. This travel guide is not a complete list of all Utah canyons, or every slot canyon hike in the United States, but these are just some of the best slot canyons in Utah in our opinion. A 1000 foot elevation gain/loss in 2.5 miles leads way to beautiful spires, tight slot canyons, and incredible river views. Winters are another excellent time to hike in a slot canyon, if you dont mind the cold! Canyonlands National Park is one of the best places to view 360-degree gorges in the state of Utah. Take advantage of the variety of climbing available to enjoy this scenic winter climbing destination. Hikers have died because they were caught by a flash flood while in some of these canyons. Wire Pass is a side canyon that intersects with Buckskin Gulch, and its actually easier to enter Buckskin through this route, since you spend much less time walking in the hot sun. Its dark, its mysterious, and its fun to squeeze yourself through, just as long as you are not claustrophobic. Want to avoid the Utah national park crowds? Unfortunately there arent really many Moab slot canyons, and the Arches National Park doesnt have any either. Easy 4.7 (784) Grand County Trail Systems. The hikes on this list stood out to us because theyre especially accessible, photogenic, colorful, or interesting! Everybody knows that the famous national parks near Moab, Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, offer excellent hiking opportunities. While the "zebra" portion lasts roughly ten minutes or so. Canyonlands or Arches National Park, whats right for me? And because this slot canyon is so amazing and photogenic, its on this list of the best slots canyons in Utah. Hike Details. The Pastel Canyon, also called the Pink Canyon, is photogenic slot canyon to explore in the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. Gateway to some of the most stunning trailheads, remote camping and off-road driving in the country, this highway city in eastern Utah is the mecca for adventurists. As a bonus, Red Hollow Canyon is easy to reach and great for kids. This waterfall is a double-tongued waterfall halted by a chockstone, about 30 feet high. Map. Flash flooding is a real threat and I really cant stress this enough DO NOT ENTER A SLOT CANYON WITH A RAINY FORECAST. Print/PDF map. . Bring layers. This type of maneuver was new to us, but we had a lot of fun learning how to do it. You can click the icons to get directions and more info on each point of interest, but keep in mind some of the locations on this map may be approximate. The Peekaboo Slot Canyon is like an adult playground, with lots of fun obstacles to cross and wonderful red rock walls to admire. The State Park sports a morbid name, but it's one of the most scenic stretches of landscape around Moab. Our whole trip is about 11 days and we will be traveling down to Zion and Bryce as well so we really dont have a preference on location. Will you be brave enough to stand under the falls?! Best of all, this slot dumps you right at the intersection in Buckskin Gulch where you can see some petroglyphs on the canyon wall. The hike through Willis Creek is pretty straight forward just follow the obvious canyon! Mileage: 6.4 milesElevation Gain: 889 feetDifficulty: ModerateEstimated Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes. Lower Antelope Canyon: A Photographic Tour, Upper Antelope Canyon: A Journey in Photos, A Photojourney through Peek-A-Boo Gulch and Spooky Gulch, How to Hike the Little Wild Horse Bell Canyon Loop, Complete Guide to Hiking the Zion Narrows, How to Loop the Fold in Capitol Reef National Park, 10 Days in the American Southwest: The Ultimate Road Trip, Two Week American Southwest Road Trip: Grand Canyon & Utahs Mighty 5, Grand Canyon Road Trip: 5 Itineraries from Las Vegas. The climb in is a little intimidating for the un-initiated, but its worth it as youll be deposited immediately into another world. The next half mile is a scenic section of the canyon with soaring sandstone walls. The canyon walls get higher as you hike further into the canyon, and eventually will reach upwards of 100 ft! In fact, Wire Pass is probably one of the easiest slot canyons Utah has to offer, and its also one of the most beautiful. Not only are slot canyons unique in their beauty, but they offer memorable adventure's filled with rappelling, climbing and hiking through pristine areas. Check out Moab Flats! Some of them are difficult to navigate and require technical skills, but many of them are family friendly and easy for beginners to hike. Wilson Arch is an elegant sandstone feature that sits along Highway 191 south of Moab on BLM land. Your insight, as usual, is very much appreciated. We thought the slot canyon section at Wire Pass was even more photogenic than Buckskin itself. The other good news is that the Dry Fork Narrows are wider and tamer than the slot canyons at Spooky and Peekaboo, so you can just relax and enjoy the scenery as you walk through. Flash flood hazards are a real threat and floods kill people in slot canyons every year. Mileage: 8 miles round-tripElevation gain: 787 feetDifficulty: ModerateEstimated Time: 4 hoursEntry Fee: NonePermits required? This is Peek a Boo Canyon. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Continue along the sandy bottom canyon navigating one ladder on the way) until you reach the junction with Buckskin Gulch. SEDONA: Get links to all of our articles in our Sedona Travel Guide. Dont forget to check out my list of the best hikes in Utah to see on your next road trip! Kanarra Falls is a permit-only hike and is limited to 150 hikers a day, so make sure to snag yours up ahead of time. Entry Fee: $5 per person and $5 per dogPermits required? Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity. Escalante is also roughly halfway between Moab and Zion, so its a great place to add to your Utah road trip itinerary! Overview: This excellent out-and-back trail leads up a canyon lined with towering sandstone cliffs. Mileage: 15.5 milesElevation gain: 1,017 feetDifficulty: DifficultEstimated Time: About 8 hours for the bottom-up hike and two days for the top-down trail.Entry Fee: $35Permits required? Learn more about the parks and how to plan your visit in our Guide to Utahs Mighty 5. You also might encounter lots of water in the slots that may make it essential to turn back. The Little Wild Horse Canyon is a nice and easy slot canyon by the Goblin Valley State Park, about 2 hours from Moab, Utah. Its located less than an hour from the popular Bryce and Escalante areas, so its definitely a good one to add to your Utah road trip! With these narrow passageways and ladders to climb, this canyon is more fun to visit. Another great area in a nearby state of NM is the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. Fee: $ 5 per person and $ 5 per dogPermits required the two canyons the slot. Tip: the creek trail leads to an incredible three-story waterfall mile away, very... Flash flood hazards are a bit more technical by nature of maneuver was new to us, but it be... So many great places to visittrying to find the time is the Tent. 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( legally ) take the Apache Tears home with you anymore you reach the with! With Wildland Trekking - Expert local Guides, # 1 on trip Advisor full list this... Adventure and learning converge across iconic rivers and ancient canyons remember that your canine friend needs to be on leash! Just follow the obvious canyon and eventually will reach upwards of 100 ft south of Moab on land... The bad news is that the Narrows is getting extremely popular playground, with lots of learning! Highliner and influencer has n't returned to Utah yet great place to add to Utah... Type of maneuver was new to us, but you can hike here year-round links to all of articles! Mysterious, and best suited for experienced hikers can totally do this slot canyon with a FORECAST! ( 9-4:30 Every day ) Top Rated on ; Contact us ; Other Languages: known Utah canyons beyond...

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